1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the insertion of sticks into freezing pockets arranged in rows in a freezing machine, the apparatus comprising feeding means having grooves for receiving sticks feeding the sticks to predetermined positions, means for removing sticks from the grooves and means for insertion the sticks into a row of freezing pockets.
2. The Prior Art
An apparatus of the kind referred to above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,703. According to this patent the feeding means consists of a magazine band which is provided with grooves in the lower surface of the band, and which is subjected to a reciprocating movement. During forward movement, the grooves in the lower surface of the magazine band are fed with sticks and the band is moved forward until the sticks occupy the predetermined positions. Then a rod-supporting insertion means is moved downwardly whereby the ends of the sticks are pressed against an abutment which pivots in such a way that insertion means can grip the ends of the sticks. By a further downward movement of the noted rod the insertion means inserts the sticks into the freezing pockets. The number of insertion means corresponds to the number of sticks in the magazine band. The empty band is then returned and is again moved forward while sticks are being fed to the grooves. Reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,384 from which an apparatus of the kind referred to is known, wherein the feeding means consists of a slide having a U-shaped cross section. In the upper edges of the side walls of the slide notches are provided which form grooves for receiving the sticks. The slide is reciprocatable, and during the forward movement the slide receives sticks from a magazine. The number of sticks supplied by each stroke of the slide is twice the number of freezing pockets in a row to be provided with sticks. In the forward position the end of each stick is caught by a pivot arm which lifts the stick caught from the corresponding groove and pivots the stick to a vertical position. After a row of sticks in this way has been arranged in a vertical position, alternate ones of the sticks are gripped by means for insertion of the sticks into a row of freezing pockets. When such insertion has been carried out the pivot arms are moved parallel with themselves and, accordingly, also the remaining sticks carried by the pivot arms in such a way that the remaining sticks during the next step of the machine may be gripped by the means for insertion of the sticks into the next row of freezing pockets.
In recent years, freezing machines of the kind here in question have been made which have ever increasing capacities. During the operation of machines of the kind here in question it may happen that the picking up of a frozen body, e.g. an ice lolly, fails, so that a freezing pocket, when it arrives at the stick insertion apparatus, contains a frozen body. Such body will prevent the insertion of a stick in the pocket in question, and the stick will be broken, or it will block the means for insertion of the stick in question. Due to the fact that the machines in question work with ever increasing step velocity, serious stops may rapidly develop, because sticks will continue to be supplied to the blocked insertion means. This also requires a laborous clearing-up work and the pockets which follow a blocked pocket will not be provided with sticks.